The Hoboken Italian Festival gearing up for four days of food, music, and rides

The rain couldn't stop the hardy from checking out the final day last year's Hoboken Italian Festival. Sunday, Sept. 12, 2010. -- RICHARD J. McCORMACK / FOR THE JERSEY JOURNAL

Sinatra Park will be the site of the 85th annual Hoboken Italian Festival starting this Thursday.

The festival will start with performances by three former American Idol contestants, all from New Jersey. Ashley Hollister, Jamar Rodgers, and Tiffany Rios will perform in what is being billed as New Jersey American Idol night.

A renowned Lady gaga impersonator, Athena Rich, will also be on hand as well as the freestyle queen Judy Torres beginning Friday. A pizza eating contest is also on tap for Friday.

For the rest of the weekend, festival goers can expect a religious celebration honoring the Madonna Dei Martiri on on Saturday. The procession will be a day-long event through the streets of Hoboken and includes reenactments of the "Blessing of the Feet" in the Hudson River.

The event, which traces its history back to a 1399 street festival in Molfetta, Italy, a small town by the Adriatic Sea, included a procession of the religious figure with parishioners carrying the statue into a boat and sailing out into the harbor. Similarly, festival goers at the Hoboken Italian Festival will place the 800-pound statue of the Madonna into a ship to cruise the Hudson River.

Cannoli's from Carlo's Bakery will be used for a cannoli eating contest as well.

The festival will close on Sunday with musical performances.

It all begins this Thursday and Friday from 5 p.m. to 11 p.m. On Saturday and Sunday the festival will be from noon to 11 p.m. Admission is free. For more information, visit HobokenItalianFestival.com.